Heads back in classroom

DOZENS of school department heads have been demoted to classroom teachers – but will still receive salaries of up to £48,000.

East Lothian Council has told 23 principal teachers they are returning to classroom duties as part of a cost-cutting move.

Education convener Councillor Peter MacKenzie said the restructuring would be handed “sensitively”. But teaching union the EIS, said the move would bring staff morale to an “all-time low”.

A council spokesman said: “Not a single principal teacher was made redundant.”